Warmup Basketball Drills for Games

Athletes must warm up before a big game. Kids and adults, professionals and amateurs alike, anyone is risking injury by playing even a casual game without first warming up the muscles. Warmups awaken muscle memory and get the body ready to play a game. They should ease the player into physical activity, and they should be fun and relaxing, not jarring or too strenuous.

  1. Layups and Jump Shots

    • Jump shots and layups are crucial elements in the game. This drill is a fun way to warm up the whole team while practicing these fundamental shots. The team stands in two lines behind the three-point line. The first player in the line to the right of the basket goes in for a layup, while the first player from the left line comes forward and gets the rebound. The rebounder passes the ball to the second player in the right-side line. One full line takes turns doing right-handed layups with the other line rebounding for them. Then the lines switch sides. The players in the lines can stay in place and shoot to practice jump shots as well. These drills should be done from both sides of the basket, to practice right- and left-handed shooting.

    Pass Drill

    • In this passing drill, the players form two lines, from the baseline to half court, the width of the key apart. The two players across from each other at the baseline decide which type of pass to throw. They pass the ball down the line, not to their counterpart across from them. The two lines mirror each other. The players in the line repeat whatever pass they received. If a chest pass was delivered first, each player makes a chest pass to the next in line. The two lines must work together, the balls reaching center court at the same time. Last in line takes the ball back to the baseline, lines move down a spot and a new type of pass is started. Timing and teamwork are crucial with this drill.

    Ball-handling Drill

    • The Caterpillar Dribbling Weave is both a light conditioning and ball-handling drill, ideal for before a game, to get mind and body focused. The team jogs around the outside of the court. As they slowly run, one ball is passed from the front of the line to the back, over the heads of the players. At the same time, another ball is being dribbled and passed from the back of the line to the front. When the ball from the back is dribbled to the front, it is passed back over the heads. When the overhead passed ball reaches the back, it is dribble-passed to the front.

    Basketball Tag

    • Basketball tag is a fun warmup for youth or adult teams. The players all start together at a certain spot on the court. They stay within a determined area, such as inside the three-point line. Each individual player has a ball. Everyone begins dribbling their ball and walking, but they must not leave the area. The goal is to knock balls away from other players. This drill forces players to pay attention to their surroundings, as well as being made to dribble with both their dominant and weak hand. The last player that still has their ball at the end of the drill is the winner.